Aleurothrixus trachoides (Back) can transmit begomovirus from Duranta to potato, tomato and bell pepper

ABSTRACT

Solanum whitefly, Aleurothrixus trachoides (Back). (Hemiptera Aleyrodidae) was considered as a non-virusvector by European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) reports. However, in the presentstudy it was found to transmit Duranta leaf curl virus (DLCV) to tomato, bell pepper and potato. A. trachoidesinfested field samples of Duranta sp (100%) and tomato (20%) tested positive for begomovirus by PCR usingbegomovirus degenerate primers and primers specific to Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus showing ampliconof 520 bp and 2.7 Kb respectively. The DNA samples of A. trachoides collected from virus positive durantaand tomato plants also tested positive for the virus. Virulent whiteflies from duranta could successfully transmitDLCV to bell pepper (26%) and tomato (13%) plants as confirmed by Rolling Circle Amplification. The rate ofvirus transmission by A. trachoides from DLCV inoculated tomato to bell pepper and tomato to potato was100% and tomato to tomato was 80%. The results suggest whitefly A. trachoides as the vector for DLCV and tothe best of our knowledge, this is the first report for A. trachoides as vector of begomovirus. These findingssuggest need for reconsideration of A. trachoides as a virus-vector. This will have great impact on solanaceousvegetable cultivation in India and other parts of the world.